51st Winterthurer Musikfestwochen

From August 5 to 16, 2026, Winterthur’s Old Town will once again become a stage. For twelve days, around 100 concerts and events will wind their way through the alleys, across the squares, and to places where you might not expect to find music. The Musikfestwochen is a festival for explorers: for everyone who wants to discover new favorite bands, experience well-known acts right in the heart of the Old Town, and simply go with the flow.

Paid Concert Evenings – August 14–16, 2026

During the main weekend, the Steibi will transform into a major concert stage. On Friday, Wolf Alice will bring British alternative indie to Winterthur—intense, multifaceted, and right in the heart of the old town. Before that, Matt Maltese will set the stage with melancholic indie pop, and Keo will kick things off with shoegaze, alternative rock, and grunge. More info

On Saturday, Hermanos Gutiérrez return to the place where they first performed: from the former STARTRAMPE to the big Steibi stage. Their cinematic guitar soundscapes meet the warm soul of Pale Jay and the extraordinary voice of Jacob Alon. More info

The night wraps up with a loud, raw, and heartfelt show: Dropkick Murphys bring Celtic punk, attitude, and pogoing galore to Steinberggasse. Opening for them are The Molotovs, a young sibling duo with a raw punk ’n’ roll sound and a bright future ahead of them. More info

Free Program – August 5–13, 2026

The heart of the Musikfestwochen remains free of charge. For nine days, you can hang out in front of the Steibi Stage, discover something new on the church square, or suddenly find yourself in the middle of a concert you weren’t looking for but really needed. The lineup includes Tyler Ballgame, Rikas, Nathalie Froehlich, Joshua Idehen, Westside Cowboy, Orbit, Ana Frango Elétrico, To Athena, Hannah Cohen, Wednesday, Lumï, anaiis, BLK ODYSSY, Grandbrothers, GRENZKONTROLLE, Bleech 9:3, and GANS, among others. So there are plenty of reasons to stop by—and maybe later say, “I saw them back then at the Musikfestwochen.”

Music Festival Carousel – August 8, 2026

Following its premiere during the anniversary year, the Musikfestkarussell continues to spin. On the first Saturday of the festival, we’ll take a musical stroll around the festival grounds: short sets at locations where there’s usually no stage—in backyards, on balconies, in small shops, or somewhere in between. The audience moves from place to place, listens, looks around, and rediscovers the Old Town. Up close with the acts, up close with Winti, and pretty much exactly the way we like Musikfestwochen.

Side Events – Throughout the Festival

The Musikfestwochen is not just about the stage, bass, and your favorite songs. There will be plenty to discover all around the festival in 2026 as well: cabaret, family programming, readings, and other events. Sometimes it’s quiet, sometimes playful, sometimes quirky, and sometimes very intimate.

Full Program